If you could make your pt. Knowlegable

Agnus · Nov 28, 2003

I hear a common theme here that says they have unrealistic expectations. and a few commented on need for education about medications.

Thank you this is very helpful.

I would like to change the direction of this just a little now. What aspect of your concerns would you ask (if you could) of a nurse educator to address.

If you were to embark on a career (mission) to educate the public what specifically would you like to address. How specific how general would you like it to be.

Lets not present the hardships/frustrations of being a nurse and focus on the client. The reason I suggest this as I am thinking of the reception of your audience. They really do not care about your frustration or hard ship. They need to hear what is in it for them.

please understand I am not overlooking the specifices that have been mentioned already. I just would like to know how general or how specific would a nurse on such a mission need to be to be really helpful to you.

For instance would you have the educator focus on one small aspect of a situation or teach in more general terms. Or should there be a series of sessions where several.very specific aspects of an issue be addressed. What specific topics would they be?

fergus51 · Nov 28, 2003

Because I work in maternal child, I would like families to be educated about a lot!

Firstly, I do think it needs to start with what a nurse is and does and what she/he does not do and how they will help the patient and family members. A lot of families come to us with no understanding of our role or our education and it leads to some friction. I am not talking about our inability to provide 5 star hotel care, I just mean they don't know what we do have to offer them thanks to our unique training. I can't tell you how many times patients' families have said "well, shouldn't the doctor be the one doing this?" or "shouldn't you call the doctor?" when it's obviously within nursing's role.

I would like the public to be better educated about the health care system in general. Few people know when it is appropriate to go to the doctor as opposed to a walk in clinic or even emergency or what will happen when they get there. I would love for more people to know about our nurseline (telephone advice) as well as the low tech, preventative services that are available to them which would save a lot of problems for them down the road (especially relating to public health clinics for children and birth control). If people knew what was available, they would probably use those services more and need the hospital less.

LilgirlRN, ADN, RN · Nov 28, 2003

I would teach pt's that the ED is not there for their convenience. We aren't there to see you for your cold just because we fit in YOUR schedule better than waiting till that afternoon to see your doc. I would teach them that the ED is for real emergencies like if you're cut and can't get the bleeding to stop, you're having chest pain (and not the kind where it hurts to cough when you have bronchitis), you have horrific pain such as a kidney stone. If you have a broken bone that is sticking out of your arm we are the place to come to. Also, if you are in the ED and I take the old lady that can't breathe back before I take you with your cold symptoms and temp of 99.1, don't give me grief about it. She's sicker than you, I don't care if you've been waiting for 5 hours. I really wish they would let me say, go home and take tylenol and sudafed.

Agnus · Nov 29, 2003

Thank you all for your thoughtful replys. I am printing out every one of your messages and will incorporate your suggestions into my educational programs.

You are just super. Some of you touched on somethings I am already doing or working on and I will incorporate your suggestion. Other brougth up some very important issues I would not have considered.

If anyone cares to post further I will be appreciative.

Thanks again:kiss

austin heart, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2003

Originally posted by stressednurse
I wish families and patients would understand that there is a difference between a 5 star Hotel and a long term care facility.

Hospital ERs don't have an internationally acclaimed chef on call 24/7.

It hurts/dosen't work right anymore, because you didn't take care of it for the last 20+ years.

Smoking really does cause lung disease and just because you didn't have a diagnosis until last week does not mean that this facility caused you to decline. Your decline has been happening for years, do you remember why you came here? Oh yeh, it was by ambulance because your family couldn't wake you up after you dropped your cigarette on the floor.

Please be honest about your medical history, we really do need this so we can help you with your problem.

If you cannot let go and need futile efforts for your family member, please talk to the social worker and/or the pastor, you may have unresolved issues.

A little bit of knowledge makes for a good story but it can be dangerous...please take the time for me to explain this better.

No I am not going to teach you everything I know and have learned in the last 15 years in the few minutes I have to offer you and your family members.

Sometimes you just have to "talk to GOD about it"....when no one has the answer for your questions.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!

I also along with the 3 other members of my CCU Shared Governance Education Committee are developing a patient education questionare to be filled out by patient/family member as to what they want to be educated on during there LOS. Example.....I want to know more about how my renal failure affects my CHF. How do I better control my hyperlipidemia through diet? Etc......